Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
Moder Dy works to increase awareness of Shetland’s eroding coastal maritime heritage by engaging with and supporting our communities through coastal archaeology research projects.
Our inclusive community engagement work means that we have members of staff and volunteers who will be engaged in community projects in which children and young people will be participating.
The purpose of this policy statement is:
• to protect children and young people from harm who take part in Moder Dy’s community heritage activities. This includes the children of adults who take part in our community activities.
• to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.
This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Moder Dy, including senior managers, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, and students.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in Scotland, National guidance for child protection in Scotland, Scottish Government, 2021b.
Supporting documents
This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents.
• Role description for the designated safeguarding officer
• Dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person
• Managing allegations against staff and volunteers
• Recording concerns and information sharing
• Code of conduct for staff and volunteers
• Behaviour codes for children and young people
• Photography and sharing images guidance
• Adult to child supervision ratios
We believe that:
• Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
• We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.
We recognise that:
• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
• valuing, listening to and respecting them
• appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people, and a deputy lead.
• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
• developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
• recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance
• sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via leaflets, posters, group work and one-to-one discussions
• making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately
• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young peoples’ concerns.
Contact details
Child protection lead Name: Esther Renwick
Phone/email: 07399 405519 esther@moderdy.org
Deputy child protection lead Name: Marc Chivers
Phone/email: 07824 996506 marc@moderdy.org
Duty Social Worker:
9am-5pm: 01595 744468
Out of hours: 01595 695611
NSPCC Helpline
0808 800 5000
In an emergency contact the police: 999
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
Policy approved by: Dr Esther Renwick and Dr Marc Chivers
This policy was last reviewed on: 18.11.24